


I guess it's do or die...

by MiniSuga127



Category: ONEUS (Band)
Genre: A crackheaded journey plz join me, Alternate Universe - Medieval, But it's nothing like the mvs I think, Did I Say Magic, Dongju centric, Dongju is always running off to who knows where, Dongju kinda suffers I'm so sry bb, Fortune Telling?, Gen, Half of oneus are princes, Kingdoms, Magic, Quests, Rejection, The other half are royal guards, Ummmm this is my first work in the Fandom plz have mercy, War, elemental powers, kinda inspired by to be or not to be and come back home, treasure, what else do i tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:54:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26016073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniSuga127/pseuds/MiniSuga127
Summary: It wasn't Dongju’s fault his life was miserable, even if he often felt that way. But sometimes it's a split second decision that finally makes a change. When Dongju's life is in danger, he runs. And finds himself in the kingdom of Solis, a place that feels like home. Just when he's forgotten about his past, his brother comes looking for him.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 39





	1. Prologue - Child of the Moon

**Author's Note:**

> OMGGGG I've been wanting to write for Oneus for soooooo long and I finally got inspiration. I'm so excited for this! Hope you all like it!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It wasn't Dongju’s fault his life was miserable, even if he often felt that way. But sometimes it's a split second decision that finally makes a change. When Dongju's life is in danger, he runs. And finds himself in the kingdom of Solis, a place that feels like home. Just when he's forgotten about his past, his brother comes looking for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rly should be focusing on my WIPs...😅

Dongju ran.

Dongju ran as fast as he could and didn't dare look back.

Dongju ran because that was all he could do.

He ran from the hate, the pain, the sorrow.

He ran from Luna. The kingdom he had lived in for all 15 years of his life, but one that had never been a home.

Of course, it didn't always seem that way.

There were times when he felt that the kingdom wasn't a bad place to live.

Mostly, he felt better when he was with his mother. She was one of the few who truly loved him. 

Even at age five, he knew that everyone hated him.

To no fault of his own, of course.

_ “Is it true, mother?” He had asked one day, curled up against his mother's side as they sat on the bed, staring out the window of the castle. _

_ “Is what true?” She had replied absentmindedly. _

_ “What the fortune teller said…” _

_ “What fortune teller?” _

_ Dongju frowned, sitting up straight and glaring at his mother. He knew she was trying to avoid the question. _

_ “The fortune teller you called when me and Dongmyeong were born. To tell you our future. Don't you remember?” _

_ The queen turned and smiled down at her five year old son. _

_ A fortune teller had come to tell the king and queen their sons futures as was tradition in the kingdom of Luna. Dongmyeong's future was full of promise. _

_ He would grow up to be a fierce warrior, fighting alongside his loved ones for a noble cause. And he would go on to become a righteous king who never abandoned his people. _

_ Dongju’s future, unfortunately, had not been what anyone was expecting.  _

_ Apparently, he would bring war and death to the kingdom and on top of that… He was an  _ Affinity _. _

_ In simpler terms, a bearer of witchcraft associated with the four elements. _

_ Dongju never understood why Affinities were so hated in his kingdom. _

_ They were human, just like everyone else. The only difference being their connection to a specific element, which allowed them to control it to some degree. _

_ In fact, Dongju thought Affinities were quite resourceful. _

_ If the kingdom were to face a famine, a Nature Affinity could help grow the crops faster. _

_ If they were to face a drought, a Water Affinity could bring rain. _

_ And yet, the entirety of the kingdom hated them, claiming that their witchcraft would only bring terrible things. _

_ Dongju's heart would shatter whenever another Affinity was announced dead in an “accident”.  _

_ But there was nothing he could do about it. _

_ His only silver lining was that his father couldn't kill him, because along with the bad fortune, the fortune teller also foretold that Dongju was the key to finding a far off treasure. _

_ And so Dongju lived, wandering the halls of the castle, flinching away from the dirty looks and hateful words. _

_ Even when he walked outside, the citizens would duck away from him, despite not knowing he was an Affinity. _

_ The king would never reveal something that would stain his heritage but he had no problem announcing the rest of the fortune. _

_ “It's not true Dongju… Or perhaps… You need to look at it from a different angle.” His mother had told him. _

_ Dongju sighed and turned away. _

_ “How else would we interpret that?” _

_ And his mother had stayed silent. _

He missed his mother.

Just like he had been missing her for the past two years.

When she had died, Dongju’s life had only become more miserable. He had no one to turn to, no one to talk to.

Well, maybe that was rude on his part to discredit his brother, Dongmyeong.

_ While his mother never talked about his being an Affinity, Dongmyeong would always follow him around, asking questions. _

_ The only problem was that his powers hadn't manifested for a long time. _

_ And so Dongju hated talking about it even more. _

_ Of course he would, being hated for something that no one would've known about if not for the fortune teller. _

_ “What if…” Dongmyeong paused, his eyes widening. “You're none of the four?” _

_ “What?” Dongju had turned around, glaring in annoyance. “Is that even possible? I thought there were only fire, water, wind and nature Affinities…” _

_ “Yes but… There's a myth that there are more… Maybe you're one of the new ones and that's why your powers are taking longer to manifest!” _

_ “If there are more, then they're not new, they've probably always been there.” Dongju sighed. “Can't you say something like, maybe I'm not an Affinity after all?” _

_ “Why would I say that? Being an Affinity is cool!” _

His brother was also one of the few who didn't hate him.

Dongju found him annoying most of the time, but there was no denying he enjoyed his company.

Whenever their mother was busy, Dongmyeong was the one to pull him out of his room and get him to do something.

_ “Come on! Let's go spar a bit with Gunhak!” _

_ “I don't want to…” Dongju whined as his brother pulled him along. _

_ “Why? You know he doesn't hate you, right?” Dongmyeong asked, turning back. _

_ “How do you know? That guy looks emotionless most of the time…” _

_ Dongmyeong laughed, his eyes shining brightly. _

_ “It's all in his eyes. Besides, even if he does hate you, he can't do anything to you. He is our personal guard after all.” _

_ Dongju sighed but said nothing. _

_ “And if he does try something, I'll protect you!”  _

_ And with that, Dongmyeong pulled him outside to the training grounds. _

_ The three had spared for hours, late into the night, and Dongju had to admit that it was fun. _

_ Gunhak’s expression stayed fixed the entire time and for some reason, that really bothered Dongju. _

_ He wanted that expression to change somehow and he fought as hard as he could, until he finally knocked the man off his feet. _

_ Maybe he had hit him too hard, because the man flew backwards and hit his head hard against the ground. _

_ He lay there, still as a statue, and Dongju frowned in confusion. _

_ He couldn't have killed the man… Right? _

_ The twins shared a look before rushing over to the man, only to have their worst nightmares confirmed. _

_ “There's no pulse!” Dongmyeong yelled. _

_ “What?!” Dongju said in a panic. “How come?!” _

_ He reached forward, putting a hand on the man's neck, and suddenly Gunhak's hand shot up, grabbing his, as his eyes flew open and a gasp left him. _

_ They stayed like that for a few seconds, all three boys’ expressions transformed in shock, as Gunhak breathed heavily, staring at Dongju. _

_ Suddenly, the man began to laugh as he let go of Dongju's hand, leaving Dongju to frown in confusion. _

_ “You really can fight!” He exclaimed. _

_ “What- why are you laughing?! You just died!” Dongju protested. _

_ Gunhak's expression fell as he glanced at Dongmyeong who nodded solemnly. _

_ “But Dongju… Brought you back to life? After killing you?” _

_ “Maybe…” Gunhak gazed thoughtfully at Dongju. “This has to do with your Affinity.” _

_ It was the first time the man had mentioned his Affinity, and his voice held no hate, only a vague curiosity. _

_ “I must be a Death Affinity or something…” Dongju muttered. _

_ And both men nodded, deep in thought. _

It had been five years since then and Dongju was surprised at how kind Gunhak was under the hard exterior. They'd been close friends for years and one day Gunhak told the boy a secret.

Gunhak was also an Affinity, but one that was in hiding of course. He had control over the wind and often used his powers during fights.

He was always careful though, and had stayed hidden well, gaining everyone's trust and earning a position in the royal guard.

Still, the man stayed mostly closed off, only smiling every so often and keeping his distance.

His rare displays of affection were few and far between, but Dongju remembered them.

Especially, the day his mother had died.

_ “Dongju… Dongju? Dongju, come on don't hide from me.” _

_ Dongju turned away from his brother's voice as he sat alone on the training grounds. _

_ His tears had long since stopped and now, all he could think about was how he was supposed to live without his mother's love. _

_ How was he supposed to live with all the hate? _

_ “Why did she have to get a fortune teller? So what if it's tradition?” He muttered just as Dongmyeong found him. _

_ Dongmyeong's expression was pinched with sorrow and worry. _

_ “Are you sure that's really what's on your mind?” He asked softly. _

_ Dongju swallowed painfully, but the tears still silently returned. He wrapped his arms around his knees, hiding his face from Dongmyeong. _

_ “Why did she have to go…?” He whispered sorrowfully. _

_ When no response came, he lifted his head to see that Dongmyeong had left. _

_ Shaking his head, he let his thoughts take over. _

_ Of course… Now that his mother was gone, he really was all alone. _

_ “You're not alone…” _

_ Dongju's head shot up, eyes wide in surprise when he saw that Dongmyeong had returned and this time with Gunhak. _

_ “Your brother is right.” Gunhak said softly, his normally stoic expression holding the slightest bit of worry. “Now stand up. The ground is no place for a prince.” _

_ Dongju took the hand Gunhak offered, fully intending to walk away again, but the man didn't let go, instead pulling him forward and wrapping him in a hug. _

_ Dongju stood still, shocked at the physical affection that the man barely offered. They had never hugged before, and it took Dongju a few seconds to hug the man back. _

_ He barely noticed when Dongmyeong joined the hug or when his tears began to fall again. _

_ “You can cry, Dongju… But don't forget about us…” Gunhak said. _

He hadn't forgotten.

He would never forget.

Dongju wished he had time to tell the two before he had to run.

But…

Maybe they wouldn't miss him?

But even as he had the thought, he knew he was wrong.

But there was nothing he could do.

He had to run.

He couldn't stay in Luna anymore.

His memory took him back, just a few hours before he found himself in the surrounding forest.

_ “What do you say, Jieun?” _

_ Dongju sighed as he heard the name. _

_ He knew it wasn't nice, but he hated everything about the new queen. _

_ Her name, her appearance, her voice, everything. _

_ It had everything to do with the fact that she was his mother's replacement and he knew it. _

_ Sometimes, his heart would stutter when his father addressed the new queen, whose name was somewhat similar to his mother's name, Jihyo.  _

_ But then his brain would remind him she was gone. _

_ “I don't know, your highness.” _

_ “Please, call me Seojun.” _

_ Dongju rolled his eyes and was just about to leave when he heard his name. _

_ “Ok Seojun, how old is Dongju?” _

_ “The boy is fifteen.” _

_ “And what was his fortune again?” _

_ “The boy is to bring war and death to Luna. There was also a promise of treasure but it's been fifteen years. Besides, that he's an Affinity. He's caused many accidents, nearly killing some of my men. However, I can do nothing to reprimand him, as Gunhak always advocates for him. That man has my trust, despite his constant efforts to protect Dongju.” _

_ “It is his job, is it not?” _

_ “Yes, but that is besides the point. Do you agree with me? We should discard of him immediately. We could avoid whatever destruction he will bring to us and end the existence of Affinities in my blood line. The treasure was tempting, but I'm tired of waiting. Let's get rid of him.” _

_ The woman sighed tiredly. _

_ “Alright, do as you wish. You already know I have no love for your children.” _

Well, maybe in hindsight, it was a rash decision.

But Dongju had run as soon as he heard the news.

Knowing the king, he wouldn't even be able to fall asleep before someone had ended his life.

And so he ran.

Because it was all he could do.

He should have run years ago.

Maybe he would've found the kingdom of Solis sooner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited to officially start writing this! Hope you all liked it!
> 
> Y'all can fangirl with me at...  
> Tumblr:@minisuga127  
> Twitter:@MiniSuga127
> 
> Comments motivate me!💜 thx for reading!


	2. Xion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 😊✌️

Dongju soon lost all sense of time and direction.

He had no idea where he was running to, but he never stopped for a break.

He didn't know how many days had passed, but he knew they were passing because of the steady rise and fall of the sun.

He had no idea if he was running in a straight line or if he was running in circles.

Everything seemed the same in the dark and silent forest.

But he kept running, ignoring the way his breaths slowly turned into stuttering gasps while his legs burned in protest.

Everytime he slowed down, a phantom sensation would creep into his mind, telling him that someone was following him and he'd pick up his pace again.

And so he kept running.

He had no idea how long he would run but he had a vague idea in his mind. He'd keep running and running until-

A root materialized out of nowhere, effectively stopping Dongju in his tracks, making him trip and fall flat on his face.

He growled in frustration, twisting into a sitting position and wincing when a spike of pain shot through his ankle.

He definitely would not be running on that any longer. He frowned and sighed in resignation when he saw that he had scraped his ankle as well and that it was bleeding quite a long.

Shaking his head, he pulled himself up once more, only to be hit with a wall of dizziness.

The world spun around him and he dropped his gaze, suddenly aware of how terrible he felt.

Dongju didn't feel very good at all.

Sighing, he limped his way to a nearby tree and leaned against it.

The dizziness was making him feel sick to his stomach, which only reminded him that he didn't remember the last time he'd eaten something.

He knew he should probably eat soon but even the thought of food made him nauseous at the moment.

Groaning hopelessly, Dongju sank down to the floor, resting his head against the tree.

Closing his eyes, he decided a little nap couldn't hurt.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_ He didn't dream of anything specific. _

_ In fact, it wasn't even a dream that permeated his sluggish thoughts. _

_ They were memories. _

_ He saw his brother, Dongmyeong. _

_ He saw his friend, Gunhak. _

_ And he saw his mother. _

_ She was singing to him. _

_ A song she only sang for him. _

_ He wished he remembered the words, but they were lost in the mess his mind was currently sorting through. _

_ He walked through the maze of memories, desperately searching for the soft voice calling to him. _

_ “... Born in darkness… Still shine bright ....” _

_ His mother's soft voice quietly sang the song to him, lulling him to sleep. _

_ But as he crept towards awareness the voice slowly faded, even as he chased after it frantically. _

_ “... Night ends when you smile… Do not forget this…” _

“Hwanwoong! Keonhee!”

Dongju started awake at the loud voice piercing through the trees and destroying the quiet silence.

He sighed, dropping his pounding head in his hands, blinking in confusion.

What was he doing here?

Ah, that's right… He ran from Luna after overhearing his father's plans to kill him…

And now he was stranded in the middle of an uninhabited forest.

_ Or was it? _

As his mind slowly became more aware, he heard soft voices in the trees, seemingly unaware of his presence.

“What are you two doing out so late?”

“Oh, shut up, Seoho Hyung. We all know you're here to join us. Besides, the sun has only just set.”

“Hwanwoong is right, Seoho. We both know you abandoned Youngjo to hang out with us.”

A heavy sigh, followed by quiet laughter.

“Yes well, Youngjo is discussing a few things with the king. I didn't want to disturb their father/son time, so I left.”

“You see, Hwanwoong, this is the perfect example of a bad royal guard. Whereas I always make sure you are safe, Seoho does not do the same for your brother.” The tone was teasing and light, making everyone laugh.

Dongju shook himself out of his trance.

Why was he sitting here listening to the conversation?

He slowly stood up, a silent gasp leaving him when he put too much of his weight on his injured ankle.

Glancing back, he caught sight of three figures, still laughing and talking.

His mind was still waking up and he stood still for a few more seconds, listening to them speak.

“Why should I stop myself from having fun when he's busy? Besides, Youngjo insists I hang out with you guys most of the time.”

“Alright, you two, enough.” Followed by a laugh. “Are we gonna spar or what?”

“As you wish, your majesty.” One of the boys said jokingly.

And then came the familiar sound of swords clashing, mixed with short compliments and laughter.

Dongju's heart twinged in sorrow, when his mind decided to remind him where else he had heard that sound.

He could almost hear Dongmyeong’s endless compliments and Gunhak's rare laughter.

Sighing, he turned and began to walk away, the sound of his steps drowned out by the sounds of the three strangers.

He had not walked ten steps when all the sounds abruptly stopped, one of the boys suddenly calling for quiet.

“Shh! I hear something!”

Dongju froze, frowning as he turned back. He had hardly made a noise. It couldn't possibly be  _ him _ that the stranger heard… Could it?

“Are you sure, Hwanwoong?”

“I didn't hear anything…”

“And that's why neither of you are Nature Affinities.”

Dongju's eyes widened at the familiar word. An Affinity? And one that was royalty? Just like him?

Before Dongju had any more time to think about it, rushing footsteps began to move towards him, spurring him into action.

He ran in the opposite direction as fast as he could, ignoring the pain for a minute.

He didn't even know why he was running, but he was afraid someone would recognize him or ask too many questions he wouldn't know how to answer.

So he ran but he didn't get far.

Someone suddenly grabbed him from behind and tackled him to the ground. He let out a cry of surprise and tried to get away from whoever was holding him down, but he seemed to have no strength left in his body.

“Wait, let him go!”

Whoever was holding him down loosened his hold but didn't let him get up, as if hesitant.

“But, Hwanwoong… Are you sure? Shouldn't we figure out who he is first?”

“Well, he can't exactly tell us when you're holding him down like that…”

“Ah, right…”

Dongju sighed in relief when the person let go of him. He turned to face the three and his eyes widened slightly when he saw all of them pointing swords at him.

Well, it was only to be expected. They had no idea who he was. 

“Identify yourself.” The boy in the middle said.

Dongju frowned. The boys didn't look to be much older than him, and yet their expressions and stance made it seem like they were much older. It especially shocked him how much of a dominating presence the one in the middle had, despite his short height.

“Well…?”

Dongju started as the boy addressed him again. He quickly looked away from his calculating gaze and shook his head.

“I'm- I'm nobody… Sorry for intruding, but... Can you please let me go…?” He asked in a small voice.

He really didn't want to tell them his name if he could help it. He had no idea where he'd ended up, but he couldn't risk recognition of any sort.

“Hmm…” The one in the middle frowned, creeping closer.

“What are you doing here then? If you never meant to intrude? You weren't spying on us?”

Dongju shook his head frantically.

“N-no! I'm here by accident, I swear!”

“Your attire…” The boy said, frowning. “You don't look like one of my citizens…”

Dongju winced internally, remembering that he was still wearing the clothes he usually slept in, along with an old cloak that was probably covered in dirt by now.

He could only imagine what he looked like.

“I'm not…” Dongju replied uncertainly.

“Wait a minute…” The boy on the right, suddenly reached out and whispered in the short one's ear. 

Dongju desperately tried to listen in but could only pick up on a few words.

“... Looks like… Been here for days? How is he…”

The one in the middle, turned back to Dongju and frowned.

Slowly, he put down his sword and gestured for the others to do the same. He crept forward and slowly knelt in front of Dongju, while keeping a safe distance.

“What  _ are _ you doing here? Are you running from someone? How long have you been in this forest?” He asked quietly.

“I'm- I don't know how long I've been here…” Dongju muttered, purposefully ignoring the other questions.

“You must have been here for  _ days _ , judging by your appearance. Without food or water, you should've died  _ ages  _ ago…”

He  _ should  _ have died ages ago. He knew that and he only just realized that what the boy said was true. How  _ was  _ he still alive? If Dongju had to guess, he'd say it had something to do with the fact that he was a Death Affinity. Maybe he could also conquer death? Or at least avoid it longer than normal humans?

Still, Dongju didn't want to mention that at all. And so he made another hesitant excuse.

“I- I just ran out…”

The boy narrowed his eyes and turned to the boy on his right.

“Seoho?”

The orange haired boy shook his head, sighing.

“He's lying.”

The boy turned back to Dongju and frowned.

“How did you survive? And don't lie this time.”

“I-”

Dongju didn't know why he said what he said next but something told him it was the only way to get out of the situation.

“I'm… A Nature Affinity. That's why I survived this long.” He said, with a confidence he didn't know he could fake.

He didn't even know if that's how being a Nature Affinity worked, but if anyone else were to survive in the forest for that long, it could only be them.

The boy’s face lit up slightly.

“So am I!”

“Hwanwoong, focus.” The one on his left said.

“Ah right…” The boy's face became stern again. “Now tell me what-”

“Hwanwoong!”

The boy, Hwanwoong, flinched at the loud voice coming from the edge of the forest.

All three boys stood and turned to look as another figure arrived, standing just out of Dongju's line of vision.

Dongju assumed that the newcomer couldn't see him either, since he made no mention of him.

“What are you three doing out here so late? I expected this of Hwanwoong and Keonhee, but not you, Seoho.”

“Ah, I told you where I was going, Youngjo.” The orange haired boy, Seoho, said.

As they spoke, Dongju slowly stood, hoping he could make a run for it, but his curiosity got the better of him again.

“You told me you were all at the training grounds!” Youngjo protested.

“Well, Youngjo.” The third boy, Keonhee, said. “The training grounds are getting boring.”

Dongju sighed and began to walk away, only for another wave of dizziness to come over him. He blindly reached out, resting his hand against a tree to stop himself from crashing to the floor.

He was painfully aware of how his muscles ached and how his entire body felt like it was burning up.

He suddenly felt like curling up into a ball and never moving again.

The conversation slowly faded into background noise as he tried to move again.

“... Come on, then. Time for bed.”

“Wait, we were just-”

“Hey, where do you think you're going?!”

Dongju turned just in time to see Hwanwoong walking towards him, his expression irritated.

“Let me go…” Dongju muttered, tiredly.

“No.” Hwanwoong said, firmly, but he made no move to stop him.

“Wait, who is that?” Youngjo asked, walking closer.

“Oh him?” Hwanwoong turned back for a second and Dongju took his chance to walk away.

But as soon as he stepped away from the tree, the world spun again, making him lose his balance and fall to the floor.

He groaned when he hit the ground, wondering why his vision was blurry and dim. And why was the world still spinning when he wasn't moving?

He heard several alarmed yells before the world finally stopped its slow spinning and his vision dissolved into darkness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“... Give him these… Wakes up…”

“Ok… Keonhee.”

“... Staying?... Alright…”

Dongju had almost forgotten how nice it felt to be wrapped up in a soft blanket, soaking up its warmth.

He relished in the feeling, ignoring the unfamiliar voices speaking around him.

For now, he would stay in this moment and forget about everything.

As it happened, his moment didn't last long, as the rest of his body began waking up, making him painfully aware of his aching muscles and headache.

He turned his head away from… He didn't even know what… Maybe it wasn't something physical he was turning away from.

Turning his head only made it hurt more, making him groan slightly.

He stopped moving all together and settled for just trying to find comfort again. But the fantasies of his dreams left and even the blanket began to feel heavy.

He sighed, desperately trying to fall asleep again but before he could, a hesitant voice called out to him.

“Are you… Awake?”

Dongju sighed in frustration and opened his eyes slowly. The short boy, Hwanwoong, was sitting on a chair placed near the bed he was in and he was gazing at Dongju with concern in his eyes.

“No…” Dongju muttered.

The boy’s dull eyes lit up slightly at the comment as a small smile settled on his face.

“You can sleep more soon.” Hwanwoong said, his voice quiet as if speaking to someone on their deathbed.

Dongju thought he probably looked like death itself, so he understood.

“But for now…” Hwanwoong continued. “You must eat something.”

Dongju grimaced and shook his head.

“Don't wanna eat right now… I feel like I might throw up if I do…” Dongju muttered.

Hwanwoong sighed and nodded, sympathetically.

“I thought you might say that….” He said. “We'll, I won't force you to eat but… You should drink this at least.”

He gestured to a small table next to his bed and Dongju turned to see a glass of water sitting there.

“Just water, huh?” He asked.

Hwanwoong nodded firmly.

“Your body is in need of it.”

Dongju slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position and sighed when the world spun a little before righting itself.

“What… Happened, exactly?” He asked hesitantly.

“You… Don't remember?” Hwanwoong asked, concern evident in his voice.

“I remember the gist of it…” Dongju reassured him.

“The finer details aren't important but…” Hwanwoong said. “We found you… Spying on us? We still don't know what you were really doing… But anyways you passed out shortly after. We brought you to the doctor and he said you're running a severe fever, on top of nearing starvation and dehydration.”

Dongju's eyes widened. He really hadn't thought it was that bad. How long had he been out there?

When the silence persisted, Hwanwoong sighed and handed the glass of water to Dongju.

Dongju took it wordlessly and took a small sip, finding that he quite missed the way it soothed his throat.

He put the glass down far too soon and turned back to Hwanwoong.

“Can I…” Hwanwoong began. “Ask you a personal question?”

Dongju could tell the boy regretted it as soon as he said it but decided to make him an offer.

“You can ask and I'll decide if I want to answer. But first… Can you tell me where I am? And who you are?”

“Oh… Of course…” Hwanwoong looked surprised that he had even forgotten to mention such a common detail. “Well… You're in Solis. And I'm Hwanwoong, the second son of King Minsung and Queen Hayoung.”

“And the others?”

“Keonhee is my personal guard. And Seoho is Youngjo’s. Youngjo is the crown prince, my older brother.”

Dongju nodded slowly, committing it to memory.

“And you… Are an Affinity?”

Hwanwoong nodded.

“As are the others.”

“Really?” Dongju leaned forward in curiosity. “What are their powers, if you don't mind me asking?”

“Well… Youngjo is a Fire Affinity, and so is Keonhee. Seoho is a Water Affinity.”

Dongju nodded again, deep in thought.

“And your parents?”

“My father is a Fire Affinity. My mother is a normal human.”

“And your kingdom? It's… Accepting of Affinities?” Dongju asked hesitantly.

“Well, yes.” Hwanwoong said, as if it were a normal thing. “Most of our population is Affinities. There are humans too and everyone accepts everyone.”

Hwanwoong paused, glancing at Dongju hesitantly.

“Is there… A place where Affinities… Aren't accepted?”

Dongju sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes.

“Is that your only question?”

“No…” Hwanwoong said. “I wanted to ask… Well, you might notice that the doctor dressed you in clean clothes.”

Dongju had not noticed and he opened his eyes, glancing down at himself to see that the worn and tattered clothes from Luna were gone, replaced with something different and simple, but quite comfortable.

“And your clothes were so worn, we were thinking of throwing them away… But I told them to wait because well… I noticed that they didn't look like clothes a normal citizen would wear. And I noticed a royal symbol. I couldn't make it out because it was torn, but…”

The more Hwanwoong spoke, the more Dongju's heart was filled with dread. 

Would they return him to Luna?

Hwanwoong said he didn't know where the regalia was from, so maybe…

“I guess what I'm trying to ask is… Are you a prince?” Hwanwoong finished, looking at Dongju expectantly.

Dongju sighed heavily, refusing to make eye contact with the boy. 

Should he come clean?

Would the boy be able to keep a secret?

“Can you keep a secret, Hwanwoong?”

Hwanwoong looked startled, either by the question or the sudden use of his name. But regardless, he nodded firmly, as if proving by his lack of words that he would remain silent.

“I… Am a prince…” Dongju started. “I can't tell you the name of my kingdom… But just know that it's completely different from Solis. I ran from there because my life was in danger. Simply because I am an Affinity.”

He glanced at Hwanwoong and flinched at the expression on the boy's face. The only way to explain it was horrified pity. Dongju hated it but he understood it.

“But you are a prince? And your life was in danger… from the king?”

Dongju nodded, numbly, dropping his gaze.

“A father? Would… To his own son?” Hwanwoong's voice had dropped to a disbelieving whisper.

“Unbelievable, isn't it? But the entirety of the kingdom believes Affinities are bearers of witchcraft and that they shouldn't exist. Being prince was one of the reasons I lived this long in the first place. But… Maybe I'll tell you the rest another day.”

Hwanwoong's expression lit up slightly.

“So you are staying? In Solis?”

Dongju shrugged half-heartedly.

“I meant to run until I found civilization. A place I could make something of myself and live in peace. Solis seems as good a place as any.”

Hwanwoong nodded, smiling brightly.

Dongju was surprised at how quickly the boy's expressions changed and allowed himself a small smile as well.

“When I suspected you of royalty, I spoke to my father on the matter. He guessed you had a secret to keep so he promised not to ask any prying questions.”

Dongju frowned, confused as to why Hwanwoong would be telling him this.

“If you would like… You could live with us?”

Dongju didn't miss the hopeful tone of voice Hwanwoong used when asking the question.

“My parents immediately posed the idea of adopting you into the family when I said you must be a runaway prince… It's up to you now.”

“But…” Dongju started. “What about the others? And the citizens? Won't they ask questions?”

Hwanwoong grinned widely at the question.

“My father has already come up with a story. And besides, the citizens and everyone else trust my father. Even if they know he's hiding something, they'll know he's doing it with everyone's best interests in mind.”

“Really?” Dongju asked, his voice laced with wonder and respect.

The prospect of such a kingdom was foreign to Dongju, who'd spent his whole life in a kingdom where hate and distrust was a common disease.

“Of course…” Hwanwoong said. “So… What do you say?”

“Maybe… I'll think about it…” Dongju had already made up his mind.

Why would he ever turn down a chance to be a part of such a kingdom, such a family? This was something he had missed out on his entire life.

But he didn't want to sound too eager, even if he was pretty sure Hwanwoong could see it in his eyes.

“Alright… Just let me know.”

“Of course. By the way…” Dongju said. “What was the story? That the king is planning on telling everyone?”

Hwanwoong smiled brightly.

“You're our cousin from a neighboring kingdom, who's here to learn more about his Affinity. We have many schools here that are dedicated to Affinities, by the way.”

“Really?” Dongju asked again, eyes widening in wonder.

“Really.” Hwanwoong replied, smiling. “Anyways…”

The boy sighed heavily and stood, the bright smile still on his face.

“I have to get going now. You should get some more sleep, ok?”

“Mhm…” Dongju hummed, settling back under the blankets.

Hwanwoong smiled as he began to walk away. Dongju watched as he stopped suddenly and turned back to him momentarily.

“By the way, I just realized I never asked for your name.” He said, an amused undertone to his voice.

“Ah…” Dongju sighed.

His name would definitely give him away. He wasn't sure how, but something told him that someone would recognize it and try to take him back.

And so, instead of telling the boy his real name, he said the first name that came to his mind.

“Xion.” He said, with as much confidence as he could muster.

The name had no significance to him. He only remembered it as a vague memory. The name of a far off ancestor, a distant king. He wanted to put as much distance between him and his current-  _ past _ situation. 

He would no longer be Son Dongju, the bringer of bad fortune.

He was Xion, a new person, a prince of Solis.

And Hwanwoong grinned, nodding.

“Ok. Sleep well, Xion.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plz leave comments! 💕
> 
> Y'all can fangirl with me at...  
> Tumblr:@minisuga127  
> Twitter:@MiniSuga127
> 
> Comments motivate me!💜 thx for reading!


	3. Prince of Solis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg I'm having so much fun with this one!😊

“Do I look ok?”

“You look perfectly fine.” Hwanwoong said, observing Xion sternly.

It had been a couple of days since Xion had run into the boy and they were already as close as blood brothers.

Well… Maybe not completely from Xion's side as he was still being wary of everyone and everything.

But it was clear Hwanwoong had taken quite a liking to the boy.

Xion didn't understand it, but he didn't question it.

Hwanwoong had been ecstatic when Xion told him he'd stay with them. All that was left now was for the boy to go and meet the King and then he could live his life like any other Prince of Solis.

He had gotten new clothes once again and the shirt was royal blue and shone in the sunlit. It was Xion's first time coming across something that shone in a way that you couldn't stop looking at it rather than having to look away. The royal symbol, a golden sun peaking over the horizon, was embroidered on to the right sleeve.

Xion liked it a lot.

“But the important question is…”

Hwanwoong's voice tore Xion's attention away from admiring the clothes and he lifted his eyes to see the boy staring at him in concern.

“Can you walk?”

“Of course I can!” Xion said, incredulously. “I've been walking around for the past two days! I'm completely fine!”

“You are not completely fine.” Hwanwoong said sternly. 

“Are you going to argue with the doctor's logic? He said I'm good to go.” Xion stated.

“He also said you're still slightly dehydrated.”

Xion heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes, before reaching over and grabbing a water bottle that was placed beside his bed.

“Ok fine. I will carry this around with me at all times to make you stop talking. Satisfied?”

Hwanwoong grinned and nodded.

“Very. Come along now.” He began to walk towards the door leading out of the infirmary, waving Xion along.

Xion jumped to his feet and shoved past the slightly older boy, making it to the door before him.

He smirked at the boy's annoyed expression and relented enough to hold the door open for him.

“I don't even know why you care so much.” Xion commented, off handedly as they began walking to the King’s study.

When no reply came from Hwanwoong, Xion turned back frowning. The boy was walking silently, his eyes on the floor.

“Hwanwoong?”

Hwanwoong flinched and glanced up questioningly. He raised an eyebrow at the boy.

“Hm? What was that?”

“I said…” Xion paused slightly, wondering if he should even repeat himself. 

But he was never one to hold back and so he went ahead and said it.

“Why  _ do _ you care so much?”

Xion knew he didn't have to clarify for the boy to understand what he meant.

Hwanwoong shrugged and dropped his gaze once again.

“I'm just… Excited to have a little brother. Is that such a bad thing?”

“Not at all…” Xion said honestly. “But don't you already have a brother?”

Hwanwoong scoffed, a bitter smile on his face.

“He's not… Youngjo isn't…”

Xion frowned, sensing this wasn't something Hwanwoong was comfortable with discussing.

“It's fine, Hwanwoong, you don't-”

“No, no.” Hwanwoong cut him off, calmly. “I want to tell you. Maybe just… Not right now.”

Xion nodded wordlessly, and struggled to find something else to fill the silence.

He had almost given up when a loud scream pierced through the hallways.

Xion turned wide eyed, toward the source of the scream, but Hwanwoong just laughed seeing Keonhee running down the hall towards them.

“Hwanwoong!” The boy shrieked, running right up to him and grabbing him by the shoulders.

“What's all the noise?” 

Xion turned to see that Seoho had joined them, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, with a grin on his face.

“Keonhee was just about to tell us.” Hwanwoong said, lazily gesturing to the man sworn to protect him.

“Youngjo is chasing me all around the castle! And just because I said he wasn't as pretty as he thought he was!”

Hwanwoong laughed and pushed him away while Seoho playfully grimaced.

“You see, Hwanwoong…” Seoho said in amusement. “This is the perfect example of a bad royal guard. Whereas I protect my charge, you have to protect Keonhee.”

“Looks like you're on your own, Keonhee.” Hwanwoong. said, grinning.

Keonhee frowned and opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by a loud yell.

“Lee Keonhee, you come back here!”

Keonhee shrieked again and leaped behind Xion, crouching down.

“Save me, new kid!”

Xion laughed at the strange situation and purposely stepped aside for Youngjo to tackle his offender.

“Aaah! Get off me! I'll tell the king!”

“Hah! He won't believe anything you say!” Youngjo said, grinning devilishly as he pinned the boy to the floor and proceeded to tickle him relentlessly.

“I'll- I'll tell my mom!” Keonhee gasped through the hysterical laughter.

Apparently the statement was outrageous, since everyone burst into outrageous laughter.

“Your mom?!” Hwanwoong asked. “She'd sooner say you were in the wrong!”

Xion noticed how Hwanwoong's eyes lit up when Youngjo turned to him with a smile. In fact, when he glanced at the others, he noticed that their faces were brighter too.

Youngjo laughed at Hwanwoong's statement and nodded.

“And besides, what's your mom going to do against mine?”

Youngjo’s smile faded suddenly, his voice going quiet towards the end of his sentence. Seoho and Hwanwoong glanced at each other, their gazes dark, and Keonhee's laughter died out.

Xion frowned at the sudden change in the mood.

He stepped back as Youngjo stood up, a very obviously forced smile on his face.

“Well… I have to meet with the king in a few minutes. I'll see you all later. I'm not finished with you yet, Keonhee.” The crown prince said, very clearly trying to bring the bright mood back.

Keonhee smiled for his sake and nodded, before shooing him away.

Youngjo smiled once more and walked away, his steps quick.

Keonhee heaved a sigh and rose to his feet, staring after the boy.

“And there he goes again…”

“Hey, maybe this is progress?” Seoho said, softly. “I mean, when's the last time he actually allowed himself to run around the castle like that?”

Hwanwoong shook his head slowly.

“Stop that, Seoho Hyung. We all know he's the same. Maybe you just don't notice because you're always with him.” 

Seoho frowned slightly, and Xion stepped back, feeling the mood drop further.

“That only means I get to see him crying his eyes out every night for the past two years. Why do you think I prefer to hang out with you guys? He doesn't pay attention to me either, Hwanwoong. Even when I try to help him. Stop acting like you're the only one affected by this. All of us are.”

“Hey, hey, Seoho, you know that's not what he meant.” Keonhee said, coming forward and pulling Hwanwoong to his side. “Stop acting like a jerk, ok?”

Seoho was about to respond when Hwanwoong suddenly moved forward, his eyes wide and sorrowful.

“Wait, does he… Still cry every night?” He asked softly.

Seoho winced and stepped back, shaking his head uncertainly.

“Not- not  _ every _ night… But he's still not over it…”

Xion was tired of being out of the loop and since it looked like everyone had forgotten about his presence, he sighed heavily and stepped forward, glancing between the three.

“Excuse me… I am lost.” He said simply.

Seoho’s expression turned into one of confusion and then understanding.

“Ah, right, the new kid.”

“I have a name.” Xion said, irritated. “It's Xion.”

“Sorry…” Seoho said, dropping his gaze.

“Now, tell me what's happening.” Xion said.

“I- I don't know…” Seoho said, glancing at Hwanwoong.

But Hwanwoong just shook his head.

“He needs to know. He's going to be living here from now on. Especially since he's technically Youngjo’s brother now. He needs to know.” Hwanwoong said firmly.

“But…” Keonhee spoke up hesitantly. “Shouldn't it be up to Youngjo…?”

“Maybe…” Hwanwoong said, sighing. “But he clearly doesn't know what's good for him. Xion needs to know. If not to help in some way, then just to prevent him from ever saying the wrong thing.”

Keonhee and Seoho both nodded, agreeing with the statement.

“But first, Xion.” Hwanwoong said, turning to him. “You still have to meet with the king.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hwanwoong impatiently knocked on the door of his father's study and proceeded to sigh in frustration and lean against the door as they waited.

Xion had to restrain himself from laughing at the annoyed expression on the boy's face, but he wasn't very good at it, since Hwanwoong shot him an irritated glare.

“He normally doesn't take this long.” Hwanwoong muttered, turning around and raising his hand to knock again.

Before he could, the door flew open revealing Youngjo standing just inside. Hwanwoong stopped like a deer caught in headlights, his hand still raised. Youngjo stared at the two of them for a few seconds before smiling hesitantly.

“Hello… Xion, was it?” Youngjo asked, stepping out of the room. “Sorry for the wait. He's all yours.”

And with that, he walked off, keeping his gaze on the floor. Hwanwoong stared after him, and Xion stood there anxiously.

“Well…” Hwanwoong sighed, turning back. “Let's go for now.”

Hwanwoong walked in, waving the boy inside.

Xion walked in hesitantly, his eyes sweeping over the countless bookshelves, many of which were missing a lot of books. He turned his gaze to the desk placed in the back and grinned to see that it was covered with more books than the shelves.

The king was standing there, placing the books in an orderly fashion, stacking some on the desk and putting others away.

He turned to the boys and smiled, bowing slightly.

Both boys immediately bowed back and stood at attention.

“Hwanwoong, was that you? Who was knocking so loudly just now?” He asked, amused.

“Well, yes.” Hwanwoong said, smiling embarrassedly. “I didn't know Youngjo was with you.”

“That's quite alright. You've always been a bit impatient.” The king said fondly, as he fully turned his attention to the boys.

“Now… Tell me, child.” He said, addressing Xion. “What is your name?” 

“Son Xion, your highness.”

The king nodded, humming thoughtfully.

“And how old are you?”

“Fifteen.”

“Ah, I thought you must be 17, like Hwanwoong.” The king smiled. “You're tall for your age. Or perhaps…”

The king glanced at his son and grinned. Hwanwoong simply rolled his eyes, but Xion could see the resigned smile on the shorter boy's face.

“Oh, be quiet, father. We both know I'm in charge of height in this family.”

“In the entire kingdom, you mean.” The king corrected.

“Right, of course.”

Xion smiled at the exchange, a sort of wonder in his eyes at how well the two got along. Well it was only to be expected. They were family after all.

He wasn't used to such displays of affection. He was slowly realizing that it wasn't just his family that was hateful. The hate was all over Luna…

“Now then…” The King's voice tore Xion away from his thoughts.

He paused and glanced at Hwanwoong, smiling apologetically. 

“Could you step out for a moment, Hwanwoong? There's a few things I'd like to ask Xion in private…”

Hwanwoong immediately nodded and began to walk away. Xion turned to him, anxiously, wondering what the king would want to ask him. But Hwanwoong just threw him an encouraging smile before closing the door behind him.

“Xion.”

Xion brought his attention back to the king, expecting him to be watching him sternly, but instead was met with a warm smile.

He came forward and gestured to a couch placed in the corner of the room.

“Please sit.” He said, before taking a seat himself at his desk.

Xion sat down hesitantly and waited to be interrogated.

“Are you enjoying it here so far?” He asked.

Xion nodded slowly.

“I haven't had a chance to explore but I love Hwanwoong's company. And the others… Seoho and Keonhee.”

Xion realized he hadn't mentioned Youngjo a second too late, but the king made no mention of it.

Instead he smiled and leaned forward slightly.

“There's no need to be so nervous, Xion. Is there any way I can ease your anxiety?”

Xion flinched slightly, embarrassed that he had been so transparent.

“I'm sorry, your highness. I guess I'm just nervous to be in a new place. I'll get over it eventually.”

“I hope so. And there's no need to apologize for being nervous. Now then…” He leaned back, a curious light in his eyes. “Hwanwoong mentioned to me that you are royalty. I am going to ask a few questions. You can decline to answer if you please, but understand that I'm asking these questions so I can understand your situation and act accordingly.”

Xion gulped and nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on the floor.

“Alright… My first question is… Can you tell me a little about where you came from?”

Xion lifted his gaze uncertainly and shrugged.

“Do… I have to tell you the name of the kingdom?”

“You don't have to say anything. But the more you tell me, the better I can understand you. Is there… A reason you don't want to tell me the name?”

“I'm just worried someone will try to send me back.” Xion muttered.

“Ah, I see…” The king nodded in understanding. “Well then, you don't have to say it.”

“Thank you…” Xion said gratefully. “I can tell you other things though…”

The king nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

“The kingdom is hateful towards Affinities. And that's why I ran from there. My father had had enough of me and decided I was no longer needed. He had planned to stage my death but I ran before he could. There's… Not much else that's very important.”

The king nodded, sighing in sympathy.

“And your father… The ruler of this kingdom…” The king said slowly. “What would he do? If he were to find out you were in Solis?”

Xion's heart skipped a beat at the very thought of his father finding him. His father… Would  _ not _ be happy.

“Well… If you didn't hand me over willingly… He'd… Probably declare war.” Xion said, his voice quiet.

The king nodded as though he'd gotten what he wanted from Xion. He stood up, sighing heavily and nodded once more.

“Alright… I believe I have no more questions for you. I have a few things to attend to now that you've told me this.”

Xion's heart dropped as he stood up as well. The king… Wasn't going to send him back… Was he?

But that was the only thing that made sense. A king had to protect his kingdom. And if Xion was going to bring war, he'd have to be sent back.

“What are you going to do…? You're going to send me back, aren't you?” 

The king turned back, a disbelieving expression on his face.

“Heavens, no! What makes you think I'm going to do that? I was just going to make a few arrangements to strengthen my army. If we're going to protect you against that tyrant, we're going to have to win the war first!”

Xion was stunned into silence. He took a step back, blinking away the sudden tears of gratefulness and confusion.

“But… Why?” He muttered.

“Why what, Xion?”

“Why would you risk that? Why would you risk the lives of all your people for one person? Why would you do that for me?” Xion asked, genuinely confused.

The king smiled warmly and came forward.

“It's a risk I'm willing to take. Because you're also a citizen of this kingdom now. And not just any citizen… You're a prince of Solis now, Xion.” He said.

Xion couldn't find the words to say to the man and so he just nodded.

“Thank you.” He muttered when he found his voice.

“No need to thank me, Xion.” 

The king moved away and walked to the door, opening it and calling Hwanwoong back in. Xion watched quietly, still unable to believe how lucky he'd gotten to end up in this kingdom.

“Hwanwoong? Can you take Xion to Abraxas? Maybe he can learn more about his Affinity and meet more of his kind.”

“Can I bring Keonhee?” Hwanwoong asked, barely containing his excitement.

“Of course.” The king said. “Take Seoho too if he's not busy. And… If Youngjo wants… take him too.”

Xion didn't miss the hesitance in the King's voice when he uttered his first son's name. He would have to get all the details about Youngjo from Hwanwoong later.

But for now, he was going to Abraxas, which he assumed was one of the Affinity schools.

Hwanwoong ran off to get his other friends, and the king came back to Xion.

“Hwanwoong will take you to Abraxas. It's a school for Affinities. I'm sure Hwanwoong has mentioned something like that before.”

Xion nodded in confirmation.

“What is your Affinity, if you don't mind me asking?”

“I'm… A Nature Affinity, your highness.”

The king smiled suddenly.

“I know this might be a bit soon but… I would like it if you could think of me as your father. You don't have to call me father if you'd rather not, but I hope we can get there eventually.”

Xion nodded graciously, just happy that the king apparently hadn't caught his bluff.

“Now then… Take care, Xion.”

“Of course. Thank you, once again.”

The king observed the boy for a second, a strange smile on his face.

“By the way, Xion… I have a feeling that is not your real name or your real Affinity.”

Xion had meant to say something, but his voice caught in his throat once more as he stared wide eyed at the man.

But the king just smiled and took a step back.

“I won't ask you to elaborate. But all I ask is that you don't forget yourself. Maybe others didn't give you the acceptance you deserve… But you cannot forget to accept yourself. Don't try to be someone you're not. You have every right to hide your identity if you feel uncomfortable…. But always remember who you truly are.”

Xion just shook his head, smiling.

“I can't begin to count the amount of times you've taken my ability to speak, your highness.”

The king laughed heartily at that.

“That's the first time someone has said that to me. Are you sure it's not because I talk too much? That's what my boys always tell me.”

Xion smiled and shook his head.

“Maybe a little… But truly, I thank you for everything you've said to me today. I'll think about it a lot.”

“I'm glad.” The king said, smiling.

He walked back to his desk and waved goodbye.

“It was a pleasure, Xion. Have fun now, alright?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Xioooon! Hurry up, we're waiting here!”

Xion turned to see Hwanwoong and Keonhee standing at the door, impatiently.

The king waved him away with a smile and Xion ran to meet his friends.

“What'd he say?” Hwanwoong asked, eagerly once they were out of earshot.

“Oh, Hwanwoong, you can't just ask that!” Keonhee scolded.

But Xion just laughed and shook his head.

“The gist of it is that I'm staying here no matter what.” Xion said, confidently.

Both boys cheered loudly and Xion smiled, walking ahead.

He would stay, for now as Son Xion, Prince of Solis, the Nature Affinity.

But maybe someday… He'd be Son Dongju again.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's gonna be another chapter soon, but I might be taking a break after that bc college and other WIPs🙂✌️
> 
> Y'all can fangirl with me at...  
> Tumblr:@minisuga127  
> Twitter:@MiniSuga127
> 
> Comments motivate me!💜 thx for reading!


	4. Brothers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4!  
> Getting into another character's backstory... 👀

“Xion? Hello?”

Xion barely registered Keonhee's voice calling to him, as he continued to stare up at the large building in front of him.

The words  _ Abraxas Academy  _ were written in golden letters across the top of the building, and right underneath the words was what Xion assumed was the school's logo, a golden pegasus in flight.

“Xion, come oooon! This isn't even where I wanted to take you!”

Xion finally tore his gaze away from the building and allowed himself to be dragged in a different direction by Hwanwoong. For such a small person, the boy had incredible strength and Xion had to stop himself from wincing when Hwanwoong gripped his arm.

“Where are we going?” He asked.

“The Affinity Commons!” Keonhee said, catching up and running past the boys.

Xion thought they were going to take him into the big building, but instead they skirted around it, ending up in a large field, enclosed by the three other buildings surrounding it.

There were several other people lounging around in the field, obviously messing around with their Affinities.

Hwanwoong ran to the center of the field and sat down, waving to the people who all bowed and greeted him.

Xion was confused as to how easy it was for the prince to just walk around like a civilian and not be overcrowded, but not be completely ignored either.

He awkwardly waved back to a few people who acknowledged him as well, before sitting down with Hwanwoong and Keonhee.

“This is the Commons!” Hwanwoong said, waving a hand around the field.

“It's where the students come to relax and practice their powers with their friends.” Keonhee explained.

Xion nodded, glancing around. He gestured to the four buildings, questioningly.

“And these buildings?” He asked.

“Ah, those are the living quarters.” Keonhee said. “For students who live farther away from the school.”

“That's where Nature Affinities live.” Hwanwoong said, pointing to the building behind them. “And that's for the Fire Affinities. And Wind, and Water.”

He pointed to each of the buildings in turn and Xion nodded wordlessly.

“So… Have there always just been four Affinities?” Xion asked, carefully.

“Well…” Keonhee said. “There's different variations of the same Affinity I guess. Like instead of water, someone controls ice better. And sometimes there are Nature Affinities that can't do anything to nature but can speak to animals. But I don't think there's ever been anyone who completely falls out of the four.”

Xion nodded slowly, hoping the disappointment wasn't showing on his face. Was he really the only person who was completely different? 

“Why do you ask? Do you know someone like that?” Hwanwoong asked, leaning forward curiously.

Xion shook his head quickly, smiling hesitantly.

“Uh, no. I was just wondering.” He said, laughing nervously.

Hwanwoong frowned and leaned back.

“I think you're lying.” He said.

“What?! Why?!” Xion demanded.

“You don't laugh a lot. You only laugh when you're bothering me.”

“So?”

“You're being suspicious!” Hwanwoong said, pointing at him. “Keonhee! Back me up!”

But Keonhee just smiled and shook his head.

“Stop trying to be Seoho.” He sighed.

Xion frowned in confusion, before suddenly remembering that Seoho had been the one to call him out on his lie the first time they'd encountered each other.

Xion had no idea how he did it but apparently, Hwanwoong was trying to get that skill.

“Now then… Keonhee said, rising to his feet with a smile on his face. “Let's have Xion practice a little.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Xion groaned in frustration and threw down the flowers he had been holding. He was supposed to be trying to make the flowers grow, but it had been an hour and instead, he kept making the flowers wilt.

While Hwanwoong and Keonhee comforted him, explaining how that was normal and all Nature Affinities ended up accidentally killing the plants in the beginning, Xion only shook his head, dejectedly, knowing full well what the real reason for his accidental killing was. Technically, he should be able to bring them back to life too, but for some reason, it wouldn’t come as naturally as the wilting.

“Oh, Xion, don't worry about it.” Hwanwoong said, gently.

“You'll get it eventually.” Keonhee said, comfortingly.

Xion sighed and sat down on the grass, staring at the dead flowers, and shaking his head.

“I won't… But thanks…” He muttered, hopelessly.

Hwanwoong and Keonhee shared a concerned look and crouched down in front of him. Keonhee opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, another voice cut through the silence.

“Hey guys…”

Seoho's voice sounded so sorrowful, it even made Xion look up in concern, wondering what had happened.

“Seoho.” Keonhee said, standing up immediately. “What's… Wrong?”

Seoho shook his head, sighing as he sat down next to Xion.

“Nothing… Just the usual…” He muttered.

“Is…” Keonhee began. “Did Youngjo tell you to leave again?”

Seoho nodded, a wry smile on his face.

“I tried talking to him. Things got a little heated but in the end he just said he'd think about what I said and asked me to leave him alone for some time.”

Hwanwoong sighed heavily in frustration, rolling his eyes and turning away.

Xion glanced between the grim expressions and decided now was his chance.

“Um… This may not be the best time but… What's wrong with Youngjo?” He asked, hesitantly.

“Nothing is  _ wrong  _ with him…” Seoho sighed. “Keonhee, you take over.”

Keonhee nodded, his frown growing deeper as he sat back down. Hwanwoong kept his eyes on the ground, but Xion noticed he turned his face to hear the story better.

“Well…” Keonhee began. “The first thing you need to know is that Solis… Wasn't always Solis.”

Xion nodded slowly. Most kingdoms evolved a lot and there were few that remained the same throughout all their years.

“Solis began as a sort of joined kingdom. When Hwanwoong and Youngjo's father came to rule, this place was called Sol and it was much smaller. There was another uninhabited area which King Minsung was planning on using for his troops and their training. The place was called Lux and before he could do anything with it a war began to take place between two neighboring kingdoms and while King Minsung successfully stayed out of it, many refugees came running into Lux.”

Xion nodded, intrigued by the story.

“The king didn't have the heart to tell them to leave and so he let them stay. In the beginning, he had a little trouble keeping track of both kingdoms and so he gifted Lux to his first queen to rule.”

Xion couldn't help the small smile that creeped onto his face. He still couldn't believe there was such a kind hearted king in this world.

“His first wife, Queen Naeun, was Youngjo's mother.”

Xion's smile dropped, his heart knowing exactly where this was going.

“She knew the king must be getting lonely in Sol, as he had briefly mentioned another queen and they both decided he should get married again. Queen Hayoung, Hwanwoong's mother, helped the king rule Sol for years. In those years, both Queens became amazing friends, and both loved the princes, treating both as their own. But…”

Xion waited in the heavy silence that followed. Keonhee sighed heavily and shook his head.

“Queen Naeun fell ill and died two years ago. It was a hit on everyone, but I think the king and queen got tied up in figuring out what to do with the kingdoms. They decided to combine the two and call it Solis. The king had so much more to do and it's only just now settled down. Youngjo's mother always told him he'd be the best crown prince there ever was but he never paid much mind to it in her lifetime. Of course, his mother let him be, doing what normal teenagers do but now… It seems her death made him mature beyond his years. He's always running around, busy with his duties and studies. He forgot to give us time and now we barely see him. Not that we blame him for it… We just don't like seeing him sad all the time. We don't know what to do to help him, since none of us have faced such a heavy loss before.”

Silence fell over everything, and Xion didn't know what to say.

Deep in his heart, he felt a painful twinge when he remembered his own mother. He didn't want to say he'd moved on completely, but other things in his life made it easier for him to deal with the sorrow.

It seemed to Xion that Youngjo wasn't paying attention to the other blessings he had in his life and allowing himself to drown in his sadness.

He remembered how long it had taken him to listen to Dongmyeong and Gunhak's kind words and finally realize that although he had lost someone irreplaceable, there were others who loved him just as much.

He was only just now realizing all of this and it saddened him slightly that he had to hear of someone else who had a similar situation to understand it.

“That's… So sad…” Xion whispered, regretting that he couldn't say much else. 

“Well…” Seoho sighed. “We've learned to live with it. We try, every once in a while, to talk to him. It rarely works. But one day, I'm hoping…”

Xion nodded firmly, placing a hesitant hand on Seoho's shoulder.

“Things will get better, I promise.”

Seoho smiled softly, and one look at the others showed their gratefulness.

“Sorry for dampening the mood…” Seoho muttered, as he stood. “Where else should we take him?”

The others immediately began pitching in ideas, very obviously trying to redirect the conversation.

But Xion tuned it all out. In retrospect, it was stupid to think everything was sunshine and rainbows in Solis.

Sometimes, some forms of sorrow were just more well hidden than others.

Still, it was better than Luna, and Xion had made up his mind to help his new friends in whatever way he could.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The rest of the day went by in a blur of emotions.

Sometimes, Xion would find himself laughing uncontrollably at a joke Hwanwoong had told.

Other times, he'd smile along with Keonhee as he explained the purpose of something or told a life story.

And still other times, he'd find himself in a deep discussion with Seoho.

But mostly, Xion just couldn't get Youngjo's story out of his mind. He wondered where the boy was and what he was doing.

As it was, he didn't get much time to think about it uninterrupted.

“Hey, Xion, what's on your mind?” Seoho asked as he came to stand next to him.

Hwanwoong and Keonhee had gone to get some snacks for the four of them and the sun was beginning to slip over the edge of the horizon.

“Nothing really…” Xion muttered, not really wanting to bring down the mood again.

Seoho smiled and turned slightly to face the boy.

“You're lying.” He said simply.

And Xion smiled, despite himself. The statement successfully diverted his thoughts and he decided to ask the boy how he did that.

“How can you tell?” He asked.

“Well…” Seoho said, mysteriously as he turned his gaze to stare at the setting sun. “It's a secret.”

“Oh come on.” Xion whined.

He pouted in a way that always drove Dongmyeong and Gunhak crazy, since they'd never be able to deny him anything when he did that.

Seoho glanced at him, his smile widening as he laughed.

“Oh alright, I'll tell you the short version.” Seoho conceded. “There was a time in my life when I had to deal with a lot of liars. Sometimes they were small trivial lies, but other times, they were big lies. And I had to learn how to differentiate between truth and lie so I wouldn't make any rash decisions.”

Seoho paused and faced Xion once again.

“It's a cool skill to have.” Xion told him.

“It is.” Seoho said, grinning. “It's gotten me and the others out of a lot of tight situations.”

Xion was about to try his luck and ask about those ‘tight situations’ but before he could, Hwanwoong's loud voice cut into the conversation.

“Hey! We got cake for everyone!”

Xion smiled, walking over to Hwanwoong and Keonhee, Seoho walking not too far behind, and wondered to himself when was the last time he'd smiled so freely.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

For all the peace he'd been feeling when he was out with the others, it seemed there was none left for night time. Xion just couldn't sleep no matter how hard he tried.

Even though he'd been here for three days now, everything was just now settling in and he began to wonder what the consequences of his actions would be.

Would the king even look for him?

Was he going to be presumed dead?

That's probably what would happen. And his father would hold a funeral for him, mourning for a son he'd never miss.

He'd be celebrating before the night even ended.

The queen would probably look on, utterly bored by the proceedings.

Maybe they'd have Dongmyeong say a speech in his honor.

He sighed heavily, sorrow bleeding into his thoughts.

What were Dongmyeong and Gunhak doing right now?

It had been three days so hopefully his brother had stopped crying by now. Gunhak had probably stopped standing silently in the training grounds at night.

Maybe they were together, still grieving his loss.

Or maybe…

Maybe they were telling each other the same things they'd said to him when his mother died.

Or maybe they didn't even believe he was dead.

Maybe Dongmyeong was spouting some nonsense about twin telepathy, and how he just  _ knew _ his brother was still out there somewhere.

Maybe they'd come looking for him.

Xion sighed in frustration, throwing the covers off himself and sitting up.

He briefly glanced around the spacious room he'd been given and shook his head, longing for his shared room with Dongmyeong.

He sat silently for a few seconds before deciding there was no point in trying to sleep anymore.

He quietly stepped out of his room and began to walk aimlessly through the vast halls.

His steps echoed in the empty castle, making them sound louder than they really were.

The lights were still on, however dim, and every few minutes, he'd come across a guard keeping watch.

Sometimes the guards would completely disregard him, and other times they'd nod at him quietly.

Xion would nod back, wondering if he should ask them for directions, before realizing he had no idea where he intended to go.

And so he kept wandering around, peeking out the windows every once in a while.

Looking out the windows made him want to go outside, and he decided he should probably go to the training grounds.

He approached one of the guards and hesitantly asked him to direct him to the training grounds, which he did, before going back to his post.

Once he was outside, Xion was struck by how similar and yet how different the Solis training grounds were from Luna’s.

In Luna, it was always dark at night and no one ever thought to put lights out there. They'd just always assumed not many people would train at night and those who would, could practice by the light of the moon.

But here, in Solis, there were lampposts spread out among the training equipment, making the place bright.

Xion liked the light, but at the moment, he preferred the calm light of the moon. And so he walked ahead to where the light just barely reached.

When he finally got to a place where he felt comfortable, he raised his eyes and was immediately met with another surprise.

About ten feet from him, were towering trees stretching as far as he could see.

This was the forest where he'd first come across the others.

Glancing back, he decided he'd just go past the first line of trees and no farther. Rushing forward, he ran quickly and quietly, a burst of Deja vu hitting him as he did so.

He ran past the trees and sighed, slowing to a walk and settling down in the grass.

He sat there, leaning against a tree and staring up at the moon that shone through the leaves.

For as long as he could remember, Xion had always loved the night. He didn't know why, but something about the comforting darkness and soft moonlight made him feel at home.

When he was a child, he'd loved night so much, he'd refused to sleep when the moon was out. His mother always called him her night owl since then.

The soft crunch of leaves startled him out of his thoughts and he turned to see a dark figure walking towards him.

Xion gasped softly and stood, torn between running or waiting to see who it was.

It turned out, he didn't need to decide between the two, as the figure stopped as soon as Xion had stood.

The figure tilted their head as if confused and took a step back.

Xion's curiosity won out and he stepped forward slightly, calling out to whoever it was.

“Hello? Who are you?”

“Ah…” A sound of understanding, followed by a quiet laugh. “The new kid.”

The figure stepped forward, finally coming into the light and Xion relaxed once he saw that it was only Youngjo.

“I have a name, you know.” Xion muttered, turning back around and sitting back down.

Youngjo stayed silent for a few seconds before coming to sit with Xion. Xion made no comment as he continued staring at the moon.

“I haven't gotten the chance to talk to you very much…” Youngjo said softly.

Xion shrugged, gaze falling.

“You must have been really busy.”

Youngjo stayed silent for a bit, then sighed.

“Yes, I was. But that's not an excuse. I should've been paying attention. I should've been there with the others when they welcomed you.”

He spoke calmly and softly, his voice holding little to no emotion.

Xion turned to face him, confusion evident in his eyes.

Youngjo stared back before shifting away, apprehension on his face.

“What? Why are you staring at me like that?” He asked, with the same emotionless voice.

Xion grinned slightly, shaking his head.

“You're a funny boy.”

Youngjo reacted exactly how Xion expected him to.

“What? What do you mean by that?” His voice carried obvious irritation this time and Xion's grin widened.

Xion remembered a time when he himself used to speak in the same way Youngjo was speaking now. It was only to be expected, of course. Facing so many difficulties in one's life often did that to a person.

You began to hide every emotion you could, not wanting to show others that you were affected by everything. Sometimes, the nonchalant facade wasn't even for others to think you were fine. Most times, it was to convince yourself that you were fine.

“You know…” Xion said, ignoring Youngjo's question. “It's amazing how much we have in common.”

Youngjo sighed and shook his head.

“What could you possibly have in common with me?” He asked.

Xion turned to face him again and stared at him thoughtfully. Youngjo frowned and shifted away again.

“For one, I don't stare at people like that.” Youngjo muttered.

Xion laughed and shook his head.

“I'll stop. It's just… Sometimes I get lost in thought during a conversation and I end up staring at people or things intensely.”

Youngjo nodded slowly.

“Do you get lost in thought a lot?” He asked.

Xion nodded, eyes on the floor.

“That's what happens when you don't have a lot of people to talk to.” He said.

The statement was somewhat said unconsciously and Xion glanced up to see Youngjo's reaction.

He seemed confused, frowning gently.

“You mean, before? Because, Hwanwoong, Keonhee and Seoho are all talkers.”

Xion laughed again and nodded.

“They are.” He agreed. “And yes, I meant before. I only had my brother and friend. My friend was even quieter than me and we often just sat in silence when we were with each other.”

His mind went back to when Gunhak found him sitting quietly outside, staring at the moon, as tears rolled down his cheeks. Gunhak would never say a word, he'd just sit next to him, a comforting arm around his shoulders.

“It was a comforting silence though…” He whispered.

“And your brother…?” Youngjo asked, quietly. “Was he also quiet?”

Xion flinched slightly when he realized that the two of them had been talking about Dongmyeong and Gunhak as if they were dead.

“My brother spoke enough for the three of us.” Xion said, his voice heavy. “Maybe… If things were different, I'd be just as loud as him.”

“If things were different?” Youngjo asked.

Xion smiled wryly, lifting his gaze once again.

“I don't know if anyone told you but… Everyone in my kingdom hated me.”

Youngjo's eyes widened, his mouth dropping open slightly.

“Everyone?” His voice was small.

“Everyone.” Xion confirmed. “I've been here for three days. How did you not know?”

Youngjo winced and shook his head.

“My father mentioned that you are a runaway prince. But I didn't have time to listen to the rest… Nor did I have time to come and visit you in the infirmary…” Youngjo sighed and dropped his gaze. “I'm sorry if I've come off as really rude these past few days.”

“Not rude.” Xion said, shaking his head. “Just strange.”

“I hope it's a good strange…” Youngjo muttered, a hesitant smile on his face.

“Well, that remains to be seen.” Xion said, teasingly.

“Anyways…” Youngjo said, smiling slightly. “Tell me more about yourself.”

“There's not much that's important.” Xion sighed. “Me and my twin brother were born with a fortune teller over our heads. My brother's fortune was promising but mine…”

Xion shook his head, smiling wryly.

“Mine wasn't the best. Apparently, I was going to bring war and death to the kingdom. And I'm an Affinity. My kingdom is hateful towards Affinities and so I've been hated all my life.”

Youngjo hummed sympathetically.

“My father did mention something like that.”

“Your father is a kind man.” Xion said. “Mine on the other hand… He would have killed me before I learned how to walk if he could. But my fortune also came with the promise of treasure. And so he let me live.”

Youngjo made a sound of understanding.

“I'm assuming your father got tired of waiting.” He guessed.

“Yes. I overheard his plans to stage my death and… I ran.” Xion paused for a bit and stared up at the trees. “I ran into this forest and kept running for days. That's when I ran into you guys.”

Xion dropped his gaze again and sighed.

“I was thinking about my brother and friend today. I ran off so abruptly, they must be wondering what happened. I couldn't stop thinking about them and that kept me awake. So that's why I'm out here.” Xion finished.

“Your mother, too.” Youngjo said. “She must be heartbroken.”

“My mother is dead.” Xion said abruptly.

Youngjo turned to look at him, sharply, shocked into silence.

“Really?” He said after a few seconds.

Xion nodded wordlessly.

“She died two years ago. She was one of the only people who didn't hate me. I was… Really broken over her death.”

Youngjo didn't say anything for a long time. He just sat in silence, his eyes staring at the moon, shining in the light.

“Did you…” His voice was a whisper. “Ever get over it?”

“I don't think anyone ever gets over a loss.” Xion said honestly. “It just becomes easier to bear over time. And at some point… You begin to only remember the good things about them, without feeling the pain.”

Youngjo hummed in understanding but didn't say anything else.

Xion glanced at him, noticing the way his eyes were still shining when he looked away from the moon.

“You know…” He said softly. “We're brothers now.”

Youngjo chuckled slightly, nodding.

“Yes… And?” He asked, as if knowing there was a reason for Xion's statement.

“That means you can tell me anything. You've heard my life story. Now tell me yours.”

Youngjo sighed and met his gaze, smiling slightly.

“You already know, don't you?” He muttered.

Xion just grinned and shrugged.

“That depends on how well you know your friends and brother.”

Youngjo laughed slightly, shaking his head.

“Knowing Hwanwoong, he probably wanted to tell you since you're staying.”

Xion nodded, confirming the statement.

“Did he tell you to talk to me about it?”

Xion shook his head.

“No… I wanted to talk to you on my own. Because I also lost my mother.”

Youngjo turned away, the first of his tears finally beginning to fall.

“I just regret so much.” He whispered.

Xion sighed and kept his eyes on the floor, letting the boy cry for a bit.

“I also never got to tell my mother I loved her nearly as much as I should have.” He said. 

“I never paid attention to her. She did so much for me and I never-” His voice cracked and he paused, shaking his head.

“I don't know if I can ever get over this, Xion.” He said.

“I felt that way, too, once.” Xion said, remembering the time Gunhak and Dongmyeong found him outside. 

“How did you do it?” Youngjo asked in a small voice. “How did you find happiness?”

“I found happiness in the small things. Like being with my brother and friend.”

Youngjo shook his head, tears still silently streaming down his cheeks.

“I can't just forget, you know?”

“I'm not asking you to.” Xion said softly. “I'm asking you not to forget about the others in your life. Wanna know how I got over it? I found comfort in my brother and my friend.”

Youngjo stayed silent, the tears lessening slightly.

“Don't forget that there are other people in this world that love you.” Xion said. “My life was so filled with hate that I often forgot that there was love in it too, however small. Because the love those few people gave me was irreplaceable. The day you find yourself in a world where no one loves you… You have my permission to wallow in sadness. But that's not the case right now, Youngjo. You don't have to live in sadness.”

Youngjo was staring at him intensely, a sort of clarity on his face. His eyes still held a sort of sadness in them, but there was something else there as well. Hope.

“Why are you staring at me?” Xion asked, teasingly.

Youngjo blinked, a small smile on his face. And suddenly, tears began to fall from his eyes again.

“Whoa, hey, why are you crying again?”

But Youngjo just shook his head and laughed through the tears.

“I think I'm going to like you as a brother.” He said.

“I'm glad.” Xion said, smiling. “But I'm not your only brother. Nor am I your only friend.”

His smile dropped slightly.

“I've been ignoring them far too much, haven't I?” He muttered softly.

“And that's ok. There's still time for you to make amends.”

“I will.” He said, smiling again as he looked at Xion. “Thank you, Xion.”

“Of course, Youngjo. No need to thank me.”

Youngjo stared at the boy with a smile on his face, still sniffling quietly.

“Your mother…” He began. “Did she ever call you by a nickname?”

“She did have a few nicknames for me. One of my favorites was night owl.”

“Night owl, huh?” He asked. “My mother used to call me Ravn.”

“Ravn?” Xion repeated. “What’s the story behind that?”

“My mother had a dream not too long after I was born. She was sitting in this very forest, holding me, when a raven came down from the sky and landed near us. I reached out and touched the bird and after a few seconds, it flew away again. As it flew, one of its feathers landed on me.” Youngjo explained. “My mother was afraid it was a bad omen, so she consulted a fortune teller. She said it could go both ways and that the only thing that mattered was what  _ she _ thought the dream meant.”

“Ah, I see…” Xion said, remembering a time his mother had said something similar to him.

“The fortune teller told her that a raven could mean death and bad fortune. But it could also mean courage, thoughtfulness, self awareness.”

“Your mother saw great things in you. It’s why she always said you’d be an amazing crown prince.”

“I hope I can live up to her dreams.” Youngjo said. “From then on, my mother called me Ravn. So much so, that I learned to write Ravn before my real name! Although… I did write it wrong the first time… The others always tease me for it…”

Xion laughed at that.

“Seems like something they would do.”

“Doesn’t it?” Youngjo said, laughing along with him. 

He paused suddenly, the smile fading.

“Youngjo?” Xion said, quietly.

“I was just thinking…” He muttered. “My mother wasn’t the only one who called me Ravn. Everyone else did, too… But after my mother died… I… I asked them not to use that name anymore…”

“That’s understandable…” Xion reassured him, but Youngjo shook his head firmly.

“That name was a way for them to express their love for me. It must have hurt them when I told them not to use it anymore. And… I kind of miss it.”

“Well, if you think you’re ok with the name now…” Xion said. “You can let them know. Remember what I said. It’s not too late to make amends.”

“You’re right…” Youngjo said, the smile returning. “Thanks again, Xion. I have a feeling this isn’t the end of our nightly discussions.”

“I hope not.” Xion said, smiling. “Unfortunately, it  _ is _ the end of this one.”

Youngjo laughed slightly.

“Tired?”

“Mhm…” Xion hummed. “Let’s head back, ok?”

“You can go. I think I’m going to stay out here a bit longer.”

“Alright.” Xion said. “But don’t forget to get enough sleep. You can’t tend to your princely duties when you’re half asleep.”

“True.” Youngjo said, smiling as Xion stood. “Don’t worry about me.”

“I’m afraid I can’t make any promises.” Xion said, grinning. “Good night then, Ravn.”

Youngjo’s bright smile rivaled the moonlight as he gave Xion a light hearted wave.

“Good night, Xion.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope yall liked that! I will be taking a break from this fic to focus on my other WIPs but I will come back eventually so stay tuned!  
> Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, and left kudos so far! I really appreciate it and it motivates me to write more!
> 
> Y'all can fangirl with me at...  
> Tumblr:@minisuga127  
> Twitter:@MiniSuga127  
> Comments motivate me!💜 thx for reading!


	5. Ravn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW, it's been months...  
> more on that in the end notes, but I hope yall like this one!

_ “Dongju…”  _

_ Dongju turned upon hearing Gunhak’s quiet whisper. _

_ The two were out on a walk in the training grounds. They were content, despite the slight heaviness in their hearts. _

_ Dongmyeong had been sick for the past few days and when that happened, his normally cheerful personality would slowly bleed away. He would begin voicing all his troubles and insecurities. _

_ Dongju never knew what to do when he did that. He would just sit there and nod sympathetically, his heart twisting painfully at the thought of how well his twin kept his worries hidden under his bright smile. _

_ “What’s wrong, Dongju?” Gunhak asked softly, bringing his mind back to the present. _

_ “I am worried about Dongmyeong… Why doesn’t he feel comfortable telling us these things normally?” _

_ Gunhak stayed silent for a while, staring up at the night sky with a small smile on his face. _

_ “That is simply his nature, Dongju. He isn’t bothered by these concerns when he’s out and about. He has better things to look forward to. He fears confinement… Because there is nothing to look forward to when you can’t do anything.” _

_ Gunhak glanced at Dongju, eyes thoughtful. _

_ “And what about yourself, Dongju? You never tell us what bothers you. Even less so since your mother passed…” _

_ The last sentence was said in a soft tone despite a year having passed since the queen’s death. _

_ Dongju sighed. Gunhak was right, of course, but… _

_ “There is no point in me telling you guys…” _

_ “Because you don’t want to be a burden?” Gunhak guessed. _

_ Dongju shook his head and sighed. _

_ “It’s less of that… Even if I tell you guys, there’s nothing that can be done about my problems.” _

_ Gunhak nodded, his smile growing slightly. _

_ “You’re a funny boy…” _

_ “What? How so?” Dongju said, incredulously. _

_ “You’re right about there being no solution… But that is not an excuse to not tell us.” Gunhak stated. “Even if it is just to lighten the load, you should tell us what bothers you. Do you think Dongmyeong tells us his problems so they can be solved? It’s so that he can forget about them, even if it is for a short time…” _

_ “But Dongmyeong only ever tells us when he’s sick.” Dongju pointed out. _

_ “And that’s because he forgets when he’s able to do things and not just lie in his room.” Gunhak said. “It’s different for you. You don’t have an escape. You don’t have a time when you’re not thinking about your problems.” _

_ “Not true.” Dongju said, his voice quiet. “You guys are my escape.” _

_ “Is that so?” Gunhak’s smile grew a little more. “And that is why there is no need to tell us?” _

_ Dongju nodded. _

_ “I will still tell you guys if you wish.” Dongju said. “But all I really need is for you two to stay beside me.” _

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Wake up, new kid!”

Xion flinched awake at the loud yell. He was immediately aware of the aching headache behind his eyes and he sighed heavily.

That was what he got for staying up so late last night.

Still, he didn’t regret one bit from last night.

“Xion! Come on, wake up!”

“Ugh, I’m coming Hwanwoong…” Xion muttered, groggily as he slowly sat up.

He rubbed his head slightly, wincing when it twinged in pain and glanced up. Hwanwoong was standing there, his face annoyed, but his eyes excited.

“What are you so excited about?” Xion sighed.

Hwanwoong’s face transformed as he smiled brightly and shrugged.

“No reason, honestly. It’s just a new day! And that means we can do anything!”

_ “It’s a new day. Dongju! What’s not to be excited about?” _

Xion’s heart skipped a beat as his mind suddenly decided to remind him who else was constantly cheerful like this boy.

“Xion?” 

Xion glanced up to see Hwanwoong staring at him in confusion. 

Xion shook his head, quickly, smiling hesitantly as he stood up.

“Alright then, I’ll meet you outside in a bit, ok Woongie?”

Hwanwoong’s face lit up at the nickname, seemingly forgetting about Xion’s awkward pause as he nodded enthusiastically and stepped out.

Xion sighed as soon as he was alone and leaned against the door.

He wondered where Dongmyeong and Gunhak were right now…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Xion crept out of his bedroom, taking his thoughts and locking them away just as he always had.

If his brother had been around, he’d pester him with endless questions about what was bothering him and scold him for keeping his feelings hidden away.

If Gunhak had been around, he’d stare at him disapprovingly before softly asking him if he needed to vent.

As it was, neither were there with him.

While the company of his new friends had made him forget for a bit, he missed his brother and old friend.

He would do anything to get them back, but he knew that going back to Luna would result in certain death.

He was so consumed by his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed a woman walking towards him.

He only lifted his head when the woman made a noise of confusion.

“Hm?”

Xion glanced up at the sound, staring at the woman watching him from across the hall. She was a tall woman with a small child-like face. Her eyes held a maturity that didn’t match her face nor her carefree smile. She wore a light green dress that just barely swept the floor.

“Oh…” The woman’s face transformed into understanding as she stepped forward with a smile and reached out a hand. “You must be Xion, correct?”

“Y-yes…” Xion muttered, hesitantly shaking her hand. “Are you…?”

“Queen Hayoung.” The woman smiled and bowed slightly.

Xion bowed back, trying to smile back.

“My husband has been telling me all about you. Would you like to take a walk with me in the garden? So we can get to know each other?” She asked.

Xion didn’t know if the queen was simply saying this for formalities or if she genuinely desired to understand her newly adopted son. Most times, he was able to decipher people’s emotions from their eyes but her eyes gave away nothing.

“Ok…” Xion agreed, before suddenly remembering his promise to Hwanwoong. “Ah, but Hwanwoong-”

“It’s alright, I have already informed him that I wanted to steal you for a while. He’s messing around with Keonhee right now. Besides, I don’t plan on keeping you for long.”

“Alright then.” Xion agreed.

The queen smiled brightly and gestured for him to follow her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“This isn’t a garden… It’s a whole orchard!” Xion exclaimed as they walked together on the petal strewn path.

The queen laughed merrily and nodded.

“It started as a garden and no one ever called it anything else since then…” The queen explained. “Did your kingdom have a garden?”

“It did.” Xion told her. “My mother went there a lot…”

The queen glanced at the boy but said nothing. Xion risked a glance at her face and this time her eyes clearly gave away her hesitance.

“Did… The king tell you all I told him?” Xion asked her.

The queen nodded solemnly.

“He didn’t seem to think much about it but I couldn’t help but notice how you never once mentioned your mother…” The queen said softly. “I can only assume what must have happened to her…”

Xion sighed and dropped his gaze as they walked.

He didn’t know what caused it but he began to talk about his mother for the first time in a while.

“She was the most caring person I ever knew. She wasn’t like my father. She never made me feel like something was wrong with me. If she was still around… Maybe I wouldn’t have run away…”

“I’m very sorry, Xion…” The queen said. “I can’t imagine what you must have gone through all this time. I know it’s not much, but we’ll do our best to give you all the love and care you should have been getting all your life.”

Xion glanced up at the woman, smiling at her graciously. All his previous apprehension fell away. This woman was also a mother to someone, and she wasn’t asking him to forget about his own, only to allow her to help him.

“Thank you, ma’am.” He said, bowing.

The woman smiled and bowed back. The two continued walking in the comfortable silence for a while before a thought occurred to Xion.

“Ma’am…?”

The woman turned to look at him, an eyebrow raised in question.

“What is your relationship with your sons?” He asked.

“Ah…” The confidence in her eyes wavered slightly and she sighed. “That is… Complicated to say the least.”

“Is it because…?” Xion wasn’t sure how to finish his sentence and also realized that the queen didn’t know what the others had told him about Youngjo.

But the woman turned to look at him, a small smile on her face and understanding in her eyes.

“Did the others tell you already?”

Xion nodded.

“I also got a chance to talk to Youngjo on the matter…”

“You did?” The woman’s eyes widened in surprise. “Is that why he greeted me so enthusiastically this morning…?”

“Did he?” Xion asked, smiling brightly.

The woman glanced at him, smiling.

“That may be the most genuine smile I’ve ever seen…” She told him. “And yes he did. That being said, I think you can guess how my relationship is with my sons.”

“You must have a normal mother/son relationship with Hwanwoong. I’m assuming Youngjo was respectful but aloof.”

“Yes.” The woman confirmed. “You’re a very perceptive boy, Xion.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

The queen smiled at him as they exited the orchard and paused in their walk for a bit.

“I wish you the very best, Xion. I hope you can find a home here.”

“Of course, ma’am.” Xion bowed gratefully.

“Mom! Can I have him back now?” 

Both turned to see Hwanwoong standing a short distance away, an irritated expression on his face, his arms crossed.

Xion laughed as the queen smiled fondly at her son.

“Run along, now. He won’t be happy if he has to wait any longer.”

“You’re right, he won’t.” Xion laughed as he bowed once more and began to walk away.

“Ah, and one more thing.” The woman said, catching his attention.

Xion turned back to see the woman smiling softly at him.

“I don’t know you very well but… Your mother would have been very proud of you, Xion.”

Xion grinned widely, a bit of the heavy feeling vanishing from his heart as he voiced his thanks and waved goodbye.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“What are we, five year olds?” Xion muttered as he walked alongside Seoho.

The two of them were currently searching for Hwanwoong and Keonhee who had run off into the town, calling out for the others to find them.

“Get used to it.” Seoho said, grinning. “Those two are always running around and screaming.”

“I wonder how you deal with it…” Xion muttered.

“I wonder the same.” Seoho sighed, laughing slightly.

They continued walking, asking a few people if they had seen two rowdy teens running around. Most people grinned and pointed in several different directions. Eventually, Xion and Seoho ended up back at the castle training grounds, where they found the two sitting on the ground, laughing hysterically.

“Did you figure it out yet?” Hwanwoong called as the two stood up.

Seoho sighed and nodded while Xion frowned in confusion.

“Figure out what?”

Seoho chuckled and put a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“They never ran into the town. This was pre planned by the two and the few people who told us where to go. They’ve been here the entire time.”

“Yah!” Xion glared at the two in annoyance. “How long did you know this, Seoho?”

“Just until the merchant told us to head back to the castle. They even outsmarted me this time.” Seoho grinned.

Xion sighed and proceeded to chase Hwanwoong and Keonhee around the training grounds, while Seoho watched with an amused expression. 

For a second, all his previous concerns melted away and he was able to smile, relishing in the sound of laughter and the gentle wind breezing past his face.

He felt like he belonged.

Putting on a final burst of speed, he tackled Hwanwwong to the floor, laughing triumphantly as the boy shrieked.

“I surrender!” Hwanwoong yelped.

“Good.” Xion laughed as he sat back.

Hwanwoong sat up as well, glancing up at Keonhee who walked over to them with a grin on his face.

Xion smiled and glanced up to see Seoho on the other end of the training crowds, a familiar figure standing near.

“Ah, it’s Youngjo!” Xion said, leaping to his feet without another word and rushing over to him. 

The other two followed hesitantly, but Xion walked up to the boy with a confident smile.

“Hello, Xion.” Youngjo greeted, cheerfully. “Having fun?”

Xion nodded, smiling brightly.

“Are you here to join us?” He asked.

“Ah, yes…” Youngjo said, slowly. “I was wondering if you guys wanted to spar a bit…”

His voice was slightly nervous, but Xion expected that.

He smiled reassuringly and nodded.

“Of course, Youngjo.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The five sparred late into the night and Xion had never felt more alive. He fought and laughed and complimented. But mostly he just kept his eyes on Youngjo.

The older boy seemed to be having the time of his life, his face bright and his eyes excited.

It was obvious he was hesitant, as were the others, but Xion was glad that there was some progress.

When it was well past midnight, Xion sighed and dropped his sword, settling down in the grass.

“Good game, Ravn.” He called out.

Youngjo grinned at the nickname, while the others shared confused looks.

Youngjo sat down next to Xion, as the others began settling down as well.

“I… Have something to say…” Youngjo muttered softly, gathering the others attention.

“I haven’t been the best brother or friend to any of you… And I have only myself to blame for that-”

Before he could continue, Seoho came forward and put a hand on his shoulder, smiling at him gently.

“You don’t have to say it.” He said softly.

“Better late than never.” Keonhee piped up.

“We’re glad to have you back, Ravn.” Hwanwoong said, smiling.

Youngjo smiled brightly at everyone, sending Xion a grateful glance.

“Glad to be back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> funny story...  
> time does not exist in my dictionary  
> so i literally wanna write so much, but there's so much to write and so little time  
> that being said, i actually finished this chapter months ago and never uploaded it for some reason.  
> just found it randomly and thought... might as well post it before i disappear again heh  
> but! I will come back cuz i cant abandon any of my writing  
> idk when but i'll definitely come back!  
> i hope yall still around when i do!


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